1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for orienting or positioning articles, as for examples, parts, and materials and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional methods and apparatus for orienting articles have been disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 57-36207 and Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication (Kokai) No. 55-58521, for example.
In brief discussion of the prior art, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 57-36207 discloses an apparatus for orienting articles, in which is provided means for generating fluid flow velocity distribution having lower flow velocity at the center portion and higher flow velocity at the portion near fluid flow passage walls. The fluid flow in the fluid flow passage acts on the articles within the passage to stabilize the attitude of the articles. The disclosed apparatus comprises a fluid flow passage, in which the articles to be oriented travel with free rotation, a fluid flow resistor arranged upstream of the fluid flow passage and having greater resistance value at the center portion and smaller resistance value at peripheral portion, and a fluid source arranged upstream of the fluid flow resistor. With such construction, the flow having the lower flow velocity at the central position and the higher flow velocity at the portion near the fluid flow passage wall can be generated.
On the other hand, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 55-58521 discloses a ventilated pneumatic orienting element which has an orienting pipe which permits free rotation of articles to be oriented, an appropriate number of orienting nozzles opening to the periphery of the orienting pipe, a transporting pipe for conveying the work with restricting rotation thereof, an appropriate number of transporting nozzles opening into the transporting pipe, and an appropriate number of bends opening into a contraction pipe and the transporting pipe and located upstream of the transporting nozzles.
However, the above-mentioned prior art has the disadvantages set out below.
The orienting method and apparatus for articles to be oriented, disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 57-36207 or the ventilated pneumatic orienting elements disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 55-58521 can orient the articles substantially in a uniform direction by interaction of the flow of the fluid and the articles to be oriented or workpieces. However, these publication do not teach or disclosure how to take out articles substantially oriented in a uniform direction.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus for orienting articles which can regulate attitude or position of randomly supplied articles using flow of upward fluid flow and can remove the oriented articles with regulated attitude or position.